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THREE DOLLARS PER ANNUM. VOL. XXXIII. NO. 14. ©riginal |)cefrn. JI y Mother. by w. p. R. "Cherish thy Mother! brief perchance the time May be that she may claim the care she gave.’’ Some precious words are born of eartli; Some others by the angels given ; But sweetest of celestial birth, Are these — “My Mother,” “Home” and “ Heaven Dear Gospel of the human heart! What music can thy praise excel ? What Poet’s numbers e’er impart— The inspiration and the spell— In this— “d/i/ Mother.” In “ Heaven” —what scenes of pure delight! What hymns of Peace—whatsongs of joy! To ehaim the soul for upward flight— And call it to its high employ— Where Jesus dwells ; but naught for me, Os Earth, could Heaven secure, More dear, and give Eternity— Than one, who there would still allure My soul- My Mother. "My Home ” —to Heaven next enshrined, Deep in the heart’s unfathomed mine A voice, from all we love combined; Exhaustless theme—a type divine ! But oh ! what gloomy shadows rise. To spread their pall, within the walls, Where orphan-hearts and tearful eyes, Lament, in home’s deserted halts. In vain —for " Mother.” "My native land” —that “hallowed ground,” Wtiose name incites in peace or war, To deathless thoughts and deeds ! sweet sound To banished hearts, on shores afar ! But exiled bosoms deeper swell, Intenser glows the patriot’s flame, When faithful memory wakes to tell, The, moral power of e’en that name, Is due to— “ Mother.” Love'a purest name most honored where The cross its fadeless glory bought! From Calvary’s top, God’s angels bear To souls redeemed, no purer thought, Than that so stirred the Saviour’s breast, And from his lips perfumed the air. To Sooth a throbbing heart to rest— Transferring all his filial care. To bless —His “Mother.” That Mother, all whose virtues shine— As lights above the path of years— Who for her child leaves Palestine— Her home—her friends—braves toils and fears; A pilgrim with a bosom rife, With anxious love, she follows up Her son —her all—her soul—her life— To drink with Him each bitter cup— A faithful Mother Let The Whole Creation Praise God. Ye mountains, to high heaven your voices raise, And let your lofty summits speak God’s praise. Ye hills, your tops with shaggy forests crowned, Lift up your voices; let God’s praise resound. Ye forests wave to Him ; to Him, ye vales. Your odors breathe. Praise Him, ye summer gales. And chant, ye winds, in solemn harmony, His praises, while ye sweep o’er land and sea. Ye that have life and reason, ardent, raise Your hearts to heaven, and joyful tune God’s praise. Or let your daily life and conduct show, His praises while ye sojourn here below. Thou ocean, with thy myriad waves, roll on, With all thy solemn romp, and ceaseless moan ; ' With thy untiring moti n, to and fro, Thy restless, thy mysterious ebb and flow; Forget not Him, thou heaviug, mighty main, Who bids ten thousaud tempests sweep in vain, O’er thee, and on thy bosom leave no trace, To Him thy and ateless Hallelujah’s raise. Praise Him with solemn, dirgelike murmuring; Or let thy stormy billow's chant a hymn, A boisterous hymn of glory to our God, And clap thy hands to Him, thou roaring flood. And you, ye mighty storms, His greatness howl, And let your loud resounding thunders roll, The praises of our God. Let lightnings write, Hls name upon the darkness of the night, In characters of Are. Let ether clear, Through all its shoreless depth, forever bear, Throughout infinity, the glorious name, Os the Creator, and His praise proclaim. WII.HEI.MINA. Contributions. A Reminiscence. I leaned against the sign-post at the Cross roads one day, looking upon a very pleasant scene. The oak-grove, just before me, was crowded with horses, and buggies, and carts, and wagons, and people moving about among them. Just to the left, surrounded by venerable trees, whose long moss waved like shreds of old winter's robes cast oft' in bis hurried flight from the approach of ver nal May, roso the weather-beaten, mossy sides of the wooden church, built a genera tion before. The road leading over the hill, was thronged with merry groups of older and younger children, men and women, moving over the knoll which concealed the bridge from the point we occupied near the church. I was particularly struck by the appear ance of one old man in the crowd. His head was white as snow, and, bent with age, he walked feebly by help of his staft'. I saw his wrinkled face grow bright, and his eye kindle with something like its youthful fire, as he watched the scene before him. The chatteriug tongues and merry laughter made melancholy music for the old man’s heart. True, in the cliurch-yard his comrades were sleeping; he stood the lone representative of a past age; but to-day he was young again. He did not murmur, he had no word of re gret for life prolonged to four-score years: his heart was yonng, and he laughed with the laughing maiden who paused to speak a cheerful word to the aged sire, and felt as happy-well-nigh as she. I said, “O, for such an old age, old only in appearance, with a heart forever fresh and gree. ” The occasion of which I speak, as you have guessed already, was a festive one— “ Celebration Day" for the Sunday-school. Every body for miles around was there— the wole place teeming with happy life. I had not tired of the scene around me, when my attention was called to music over the hill. It came nearer, and I caught the tones of human voices mingling with the swelling notes of instruments, and the words were— “ We’re marching to the promised land— A land all fair and bright; Come join our happy, youthful band, And seek the plains of light. O, come and join our youthful band, Our songs and triumphs share; We soon shall reach the promised land, And rest forever there.” My heart thrilled with emotion as I listen ed—“ How sweet, how grand !” I exclaim ed. Then a beautiful banner glanced above the hill top—who bore it I could not see— but at its distance I read upon its folds, "Little soldiers of Jesus.’’ Then came pennons whose inscriptions I could not read. Following them, came another banner, borne aloft by youths, and its motto was ■“Stand up for Jesus.” Lastly there came over the hill top a band of men and women escorting another splendid banner, and on Christian gutwraif. it was written, “Fight a good fight!” On they came—banners flying, music ringing, little feet tramping ! My heart swelled with pent up feeling. I had myself stepped to the martial notes of drum and fife, when armed hosts pressed with shoutings to bloo dy conflicts; and now, as I looked at the moving column, and listened to their steady tramp, and heard their martial notes, and saw their waving banners, I felt the fires, that used to kindle amidst the wild revels of the angel of death on the battle field, re enkindle in my heart, and I felt like doing battle for “ God and the right. ” The thoughts that had been taking form and shape in my mind, swept up in an ungoverna ble tide of emotion, and in vain I endeavored to prevent it—-I wept. I remembered that this was one company. That five hundred thousand such soldiers were being mus tered into service; and I longed to see them rank after rank, on some great plain, a spec tacle that angels might shout over. I thank ed God that they were mustering for the war, and fancied I could see the tremor of hopeless hate that ran through the hosts of darkness, as they saw this dread array. Then, as they passed into the church and I stood before them, I felt I was helping to drill these “little soldiers,” that they might bo “valiant for truth,” “putting to flight the armies of the aliens,” in after days. Verily, is not this our work ? We are en gaged in a fearful war. God and satan, heaven and hell, good and bad are in con flict. Human souls are the spoils of battle on either side. For these, “two worlds are at strife.” Ministers, teachers, we are part of God’s host. “ We’re sokliera flghting'for onr God.” We must fall—true, it will be to rise again and reign. Yet we must fall. The day will eorne, when the long-roll will no more rouse ns to the fight, when we shall bo missed from our places in the line of battle. Who shall fill our places ? Can not each of us train one, aye, scores, to take our places when wo are fallen ? We can. Shall we not do it ? Then, God's host will swell its numbers, till irresistible, it will sweep through the valley, and press over the hills and bearing down satan’s last resistance, plant its banners on the spires of a conquer ed world ! Halleluia ! Amen ! Here are these little ones. We are to gather our recruits from them. Our work is to train “Little soldiers of Jesus.” They arc his. Folded to his loving breast blessed by him, claimed by him. “Os such is the kingdom of heaven.” He has given them to us to train. We must do it, so that they need not fail or faint in the day of battle. What a responsibility ! Jesus’s sol diers given us to train. Sunday-school teacher, honor your calling. Give it heart, and soul, and mind, and money ! Train the little ones—teach them. Teach them to know their enemies, how to defeat them. Teach them to know their leader, Jesus. Let all centre here. Teach them to know him as a saviour, brother, friend; and sacri fice, and service, and love will spring from this knowledge of Christ. “ My precious class for Jesus, Who did so much for me— Who paid the price which justice claimed, In hours of agony. My whole dear class for Jesus! O, let not one be lost, When Calvary was the fearful sum, Their wond’rous ransom cost.” G. H. Wet.t.s. Timmonsville, S. (?., March, 1870. Infant Membership. With all deference to the wisdom of our fathers, wo think there are several weak points in our polity yet remaining, to which the attention of the General Conference should be directed at the next and every succeeding session until they are corrected. One relates to the membership of our bap tized children; and the other to the wide door thrown open to a secular and irregular ministry. Four years ago, wo showed by actual sta tistics, that our Church lost seriously by our then mode of receiving members into the Church as probationers. The present status of our young membership proves the wisdom of the General Conference in the abolishment of the rule. We could now show as readily by statistics, that not a moiety of all the children baptized into the Church, are saved to it, on account of a similar loose and unmethodical mode of dealing with the infant membership of the Church. Hut our time, and perhaps the patience of our readers will not warrant such details, par ticularly as we believe that the Church is fully convinced of the truth of our posi tion. It is admitted, that baptism is the door into the Church—that no person can be re ceived into the Church without it—that when a person is baptized he becomes a member of the Church—that, therefore, all baptized infants are members. And yet our law makers have made no provisions by which their membership can be recognised as valid. Their names are not recorded, and they are consequently not in a literal sense members of the Church of Christ. The result is that their baptism is to a great extent lost upon them, for good, and the Church nnd ministry in a large and very im portant sense lose their hold upon and their influence over them. And yet the argument of our ministry in behalf .of infant baptism is predicated great ly upon the fact, that such a dedication to God in infancy is binding upon parents and children, and is a potent weapon of the Church for inducing the children in after years to become lively members of the same. The fact is owing to the loose manner in which it is done, preachers and parents sel dom referring to it again, and no note be ing taken of it in the chronicles of the Church. Our children grow up as they list, and are only brought in under revival influ ences, and many of them lost to us and to religion simply on the ground of this culpa ble neglect. Now we propose to correct the evil by having inserted in the Discipline a section to be headed, Os Infant Membership; in which it shall be provided, that every pas tor shall have entered upon the church book in its proper place tbe names of all infants baptized in our Church. And that at each church-meeting such names shall be regu larly read, as having been admitted into the infant membership of the Church. And that their numbers shall be reported at each Annual Conference, after abstracting the deaths, as the adult members are. And that when these children shall become of suffi cient age to take upon them the vows of the Church, and shall manifest a willingness so to do by professing faith in Christ, they shall beiregularly initiated as communicants in tbe Church; while those who utterly and wickedly prefer the paths of sin, and will uot yield to the godly advice of their min ister and parents to be confirmed in the Church, shall be stricken from the member ship of the same. It is easily perceivable, that such a course is perfectly consistent with our faith in of fering baptism to infants, while our present system is not—that it will give pastors and children a hold upon the consciences and lives of the children which they now have not—that if there is any virtue in the old Jewish rule of dedicating children to God, and in the apostolic mode of baptising and rearing them in the Church, this will secure all the benefits appertaining to such a rule much more effectually than the present sys tem does. The time has come, when the children of the Church must be saved to her by the prop er recognition of infant membership, family government and Sabbath-school instruction, or we fail as a Church to copo with others, in securing the acknowledged benefits of our form of Protestant Christianity to our children. And we verily believe, that while under the present system a very large per cent, of our children, drift either into the world or other churches, that under the one proposed, bringing to bear proper incentives upon pastors and parents, we will lose but few, very few, of our loved ones to the Church, and thus greatly enhance the chances of their salvation in heaveD. By your permission, Mr. Editor, we will briefly refer to the other point hinted at, in a future number of your paper. E. M. Pendleton. Sparta, Ga., March 28th, 1870, Foreign Missions. A Christian who prays in sincerity, as Christ taught, “Thy kingdom come,” or “Pray ye the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth laborers into his harvest,” is not much in the mood to debate on the pro priety that the laborer should go, or the duty of the Church to send. “ Go,” and, “as ye go preach ” is imperative to the “called,” and woe to him that does not obey. Tbe means to send are in the hands of the Church. God placed than there, and woe to that member who refuses to send. He is an unfaithful steward and he will meet with the fate of him who bulled his talent. As to whom and whero the Gospel is to be preached, there can be no debate with the comments before us and instructing us.— Take the following Scriptures, and ask the conscience of the Church to answer: “Go ye into into all the world and preach the Gos pel to every creature”—“That repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations beginning at Jerusa lem.” . . . “ Sing and jiraire (the Lord) from tbe ends of the earth . . . the isles and the inhabitants thereof ... let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountain ... it shall come that I will gather all nations and tongues and they shall see my glory . . . I will send . . to the isles afar off that have not heard my fame nor seen my glory.” But I forbear further quotations. The heathen are promised to the Son as an inher itance, and the uttermost parts of the earth as a possession. How were the commands obeyed, and how did they begin to bo fulfilled in the Apos tolic Church? And he (Jesus) called the twelve and began to send them forth two by two. And they went out and preached. . . “ The Lord appointed other seventy also and sent them two by two, before his face into every city and place. ” ‘ ‘Go your ways, behold I send you forth as lambs among wolves.” St. Paul says: “It pleased God . . to reveal His Son unto me that I might preach him to the heathen, and immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood, but I went into Arabia.” Ho was afterward or dained and sent forth exclusively to tlio Gentiles, preaching throughout Asia Minor, Thrace, Macedonia, Acliaia, Italy and many isles of the sea—Barnabas, Mark, Luke, Silas, Timothy, and others abundant in la bors assisting. Thus rapidly was prophecy fulfilled, and many tongues spake forth the praises of God that had not before heard of his fame or glory. Preachers and congregations had compassion for the heathen in that apostolic day. And thanks be to God, it is not now wholly lost, even according to the confession of an “ Old Methodist.” It still burns in the hearts of itinerants who give their all,nearly, to create missions among them, and some labor with their hands to carry the Gospel to them, rather than be a burden to a Church, that Corinthian-like “abound not in the grace of liberality.” Let us examine a few statistics. It is proper that a holy emulation should be awakened in us, if by no other means we can be aroused to respond to the Macedonian cry that unceasingly comes up from the heathen land. The M. E. Church, (North,) have 130 mi ssionaries abroad. We have two. They appro priate 8222,000 —we SB,OOO. They have seven different mission fields abroad, in all parts of the world. We one. This contrast will be objected to with this Church on the ground that while we have been impover ished, they have grown rich. I grant it. But does that justify the difference in these figures? Are we able to do only one-thirtieth as much for the heathen, while they do not double us in membership? But take a Church struggling as we are under the misfortunes of the war—the South ern Presbyterian. This Church last year re inforced their China Mission with three missionaries, besides two to other fields.— We have sent none since the war—one has come back—and an “Old Methodist” wants the leader to surrender the whole field to the powers of darkness and come home. The United Presbyterian Cliurch sent out 40 new missionaries last year. Their receipts last year for Foreign Missions were $525,- 350. They have 350 men and women, with 1,000 native helpers, proclaiming the Gospel to tho heathen. The Protestant E. Church sent last year two missionaries to China,one to Africa, (one of them the son of a Bishop.) They expended SBB,OOO last year and in creased the assessment this. The American Baptist Mission Association has in Asia 100 missionaries with 80 native ordained preachers and 422 colporters and Bible readers. But we forbear going further with these statistics. The English Churches excel the above nearly as far as they excel us, in their work for the heathen abroad. Let it no longer be said that the heathen are among us. We did a glorious work in our home missions for the Africans before the war. But what since? Nothing, save the volun tary labor of some of our Bishops and preach ers among them. Other Churches are doing as much or more than we are doing. . Now, if our charity remains at home much longer it will die. It is growing sickly for the want of foreign exercise. Apply no lon ger plasters apologetic to cover the Church’s shame. Robe her, saddle her, and send her forth to nations abroad, to publish glad ti PUBLISHED BY J. W. BURKE & CO., FOR THE M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH. MACON, GA., FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 1870. dings of peace to all men, to make the wil derness glad and the solitary place to blossom as the rose. And then it will not be long before the gathering clouds of God’s glory, coming back from heathen lands, will break in blessings on ns as the gifts of Macedonia refreshed the poor saints at Jerusalem. We ought to reinforce China with five or six missionaries and take in South America too. Let the appropriation be 8100,000. Keep Dr. Munsey in the field; hold up the cause by faith, pray and Christ and God will rain grace and the riches of liberality as upon the Corinthian Churches. A Missionary. Assessment lor Presiding Elders’ Support. The claim upon each appointment in a District cannot be equalized by adopting a certain rate per cent, upon the whole amount to be raised in the District for the support of the preachers in. charge —say 15 per cent. upon SIO,OOO to he raised—because, owing so the size of some of the preacher’s families, such an amonnt is assessed upon certain charges for their support, as demantft from the District stewards discrimination in their favor; whilst other charges have to care for small families and may be taxed heavier for the Presiding Elder’s support. Hence, no fixed rate per cent, can be maintained sides, Elders are changed, and much more may bo required for the support of one than for another. Each District steward should bring to the District steward’s meeting a statement of the size of preacher's family, amount assessed for his support, and from the circuit or sta tion stewards, the sum which they think should be assessed upon their respective works. With this data, and a reference to the amounts raised for a term of years upon each charge—allowing for enlargement or dimunition of the work, increased or de creased ability—an equitable assessment is easily made. Os course the rate per cent. upon the preacher's allowance will vary with changes and the circumstances of the preacher. B station may be assessed S3OO, which say is three-tenths of the amount al lowed the preacher, §1,000; hence, $1,300 is to be raised for the support of both. The next year B station must allow §1,200 to the new pastor; but being able to pay §1,500 if necessity required, the assessment for the P. Elder remains unchanged; hence the per cent, is now one-fourth of the preacher’s al lowance, the whole being $1,500. D circuit is assessed SIOO, which say is one-eighth of the preacher’s allowance,sßoo; hence, SOOO is to be raised for support of preacher and Elder. Next year D circuit is assessed 8150, which is one-fourth of the preacher’s allowance, $000; hence, $750 is to be raised for support of both. F circuit is a poor, weak work, and is as sessed SSO, which is one-eighth of the preach er’s allowance, $400; for both, $450. The next year the preacher’s allowance, he beiug a single man, is S3OO, and the Elder’s claim is SIOO, or one-third of the amount, lienee the whole amount to be raised is SIOO. The per centum upon each charge may vary from year to year; the amount to be raised for the Elder’s support being greater-one year than another, or the amount to be raised for the preacher being greater or less. For the same Elder the amount assessed upon any one charge may vary from year to year, although his allowance may be unchanged, owing to changes in preachers in charge, but equity may always bo secured by the at tendance of every District steward, and ordi nary carefulness in making the assessment. District. Our creed. It is with deference to the savans of the church, that I venture to suggest to the General Conference (soon to be in session) to consider the propriety of amending the seventh and eighth articles of onr creed. The language of the 7th article is antiquated and not very chaste to a modem ear; and while the doctrine it holds is very sound and Scriptural, I see no propriety in referring to what the “Pelagians talk,” asuine in ten of our church do not know what Pelagius taught. I therefore propose to alter as fol lows : “Every man who is born of the descend ants of Adam is corrupt and sinful, and far gone from original righteousness, and of his own nature is altogether inclined to evil and that continually.” Now I submit, that this, or something better, would improve the seventh article of our creed, and render its phraseology more acceptable to the modern ear. And I would further suggest that the eighth article on free will be made to read as follows : “Btli. Free Will! All men are free moral agents, having the power to choose or refuse, and as the grace of God which bringeth salvation, has appeared to all men, and thereby given to every man the power to believe, therefore whosoever will let him take the water of life freely.” Now this amendment truly represents our doctrine on this point, and I think is clear and clearly Scriptural. Why not substitute it in place of the old eighth article, which is somewhat difficult of clearness, and our Baptist friends say, it has some Calvinism in it. Another objection—the word “prevent” is used in the sense of clearing the way and helping men to believe, while its modern acceptation is to hinder; and there are thousands in our church who would under stand it in no other sense. Let us, there fore, write it out plain, clear, and true to doctrine, and should there be any Calvin ism in it, let the church oust it by all means. Hold on, and I will suggest another im provement. It is as to our mode of taking the sacrament. Our system is to kneel—the disciples took it sitting. Tho Scriptural mode is certainly right. This change would add to the popularity of the church. Let the seats form a circle round the altar, the participants go to one end and counter march to the other, and in the same order retire. Let the minister partake at the same time. I have been a member of the Meth odist Church fifty years, and have seen enough to know this change would add much to the popularity of our beloved church. . Senex. The Pastor’s Visit. —Rev. Dr. John Hall, writing on the important subject of pastoral visitation, and how in the performance of duty the people can help the minister, says: When the minister comes, do not, dear reader, look at him as if you said: “Pray, sir, what brings you here? Wiiat have we been doing? Are we going to be disciplined, I wonder?” Do not keep him waiting till you have made an elaborate toilette. He did not come to see your dress; but to see you. Do you suppose he is such a simple ton as to think worse of you because you are not in full dress every day? Do not set him down in state in the best room to be enter tained by one member of the household. He came to see the family. Do not, when he does reach the family, put any difficulties in his way of speaking of divine things, or pray ing with you—if he should see occasion. Do not retain him with the minute recital of any ills you have noticed in your fellow worshippers. He loves the people, and is grieved to hear evil of them. Let him un derstand that you prize his calling with you, and will anticipate his return with pleasure. Try to get some good from his visit, as yon would from his sermon; and so it will be pleasant and profitable to both you and him. gjactrine anb (Brpruncc. God’s Delay in Answering Prayer. As near as I can judge it pleases God not only to give us the things which it is proper for us to ask for, but He gives them to us in such a way, in the first place, that they shall not hurt us; and in the second place, that they shall be ten times as much as we ask for. For example, when Paul asked the Lord to take away the thorn in his flesh, “No,” said the Saviour; “I will do a great deal better than that—l will give you strength to bear it. ” When you are bestead by an infirmity, and you beseech the Lord to take it away from you, He says: “I will do a great deal better—l will keep the infir mity, but I will make you so strong that you shall carry it off as though it was a joy;” and you shall say afterward, “I count it all joy that I fell into that trial.” To multiply strength against an annoyance is better than to take away the annoyance itself. Suppose a man is sick, and prays to God for health; that is not a wrong prayer, and God may answer it in this way: He may say, Let the sickness abide, but it shall be with such consolations, with such a sense of My supporting you in it, that your whole soul shall be filled with joy and trust, and that it shall be better for you to be sick than if yon were well. There is such a thing as shaking down more fruit in sickness than men gather in health. I remember a case. A woman came to me, in one of my earliest pastorates, with exceeding anxiety about her husband. She had herself become a Christian, and was sincere and trustful. In the course of some weeks the husband was converted, although he had been not only a worldly man, but an unbelieving man. And he gave this his tory about himself: “When my wife first began to go to these revival meetings I was angry; but I had always let Mary do about as she chose, and I thought I would not say anything. She continued, and'l could not help myself. I did fret, and noticed that she never answered. I think that the more I fretted, the kinder she grew. I noticed that there was a great deal more spirit in the houso than there ever had been. Nobo dy lost anything by reason of her religious zeal. My meals were regularly prepared, my children were well taken care of, and yet she had a great deal of time for Christian duties. She never spoke to mo on the sub ject of religion, and I knew it was a great cross to her. I heard her pray for me; I saw her do everything in her power to avoid offence, and to make herself and religion agreeable to me. It. made me angry, and I resisted for some time, till I could not stand it any longer; and at last I said to myself : ‘She has something that I have not, and if it is religion, I want it.’ ” Now, suppose that the next minute after she prayed, saying: “Lord, give me my husband,” that husband had been convert ed, the gift would not have been much, compared with what he did give her. For the more he held back, the more she thought of and longed lor the salvation of his soul, and she plead earnestly, and said : “Now, everything in me must work for this result, and if I obtain it, it must be by the use of means.” It blessed her temper, it enhanc ed her disinterestedness, it deepened her lovo, it enriched every part of her nature; so that when God gave her husband to her iu conversion, he was not any more anew man than sho was anew wife. She was richer, truer, deeper, purer, more spiritual, better worth any man’s having. And the delay was a very fortunate circumstance, so far as her character and life were concerned. Now, in the morning, you go to God, and say, “Lord, I am as fiery as John”—he, you know, was so fiery that he called fire down on the villagers because they could not take Christ—“give me patience. ” And you do uot get out of the house before you find that the servant has left the slop-pail at the foot of the stairs, and you step right into it. Your mouth is hardly wiped from that prayer, and here is a chance for you to exer cise the patience that you asked for. But, no, you give the pail a kick, and would like to give the servant one too; and you go away, scolding her. It never occurs to you that your prayer was answered almost before you got down stairs. How is a man going to be patient unless there is something to try him ? “But Ido not want that kind of trial,” you say. You must take that kind which God chooses to give you. He is not going to take away from you trouble. He is going to work out in you to will and to do of His good pleasure. If you are desi rous of being patient, and you ask the Lord to make you patient, to some of you He will say, “If you quit drinking stimulants yon will be more patient.” To others He will say, “I will make you more patient, but you must drill for it;” and He will drill you, and you may be sure that He will know just where you are sensitive; just where, touch ing you, you will be likely to fall; just where you will be obliged to summon resolution, conscience and grace to your aid if you are successful. But it is in vain for you to go to God and ask Him to make you humble, and then, when you are put in circumstan ces that are trying to your pride, straighten up and say : “I will not yield to this thing.” You hare just been asking God to teach you how to be humble, and the first thing He sends to you, you refuse to take. It is like a man going to the dentist to have taken out a tooth that aches so that he cannot stand it, and then, when he gets there, saying that it does not ache any more, and refusing to have it taken out. You go two or three times to a dentist, frequently, before you can make up your mind to have your aching tooth out. Men go to God to have him ex tract this trouble or that, and then, when He offers to do it, refuse to have it done. You ask Him to make you humble, and He persecutes your pride,' and you are angry, and prouder than before. You ask Him to make you patient, and you become more impatient. You ask Him to make you gen tle, and you manifest a spirit which shows that you are not willing to be made gentle. In short, what you want is, that God should do the work for you. You want He should take these qualities and put them into von, as a man would put the works of a clock into a marble stand, all ready made, and set them running and striking without any thought or care on your part. You do not want the Lord to work out in you to will and to do of His good pleasure. If you will work, I think you will find that all prayers for things right, God will answer; and that, wherever it is practicable, He will answer them—not instantaneously, but by working in you the things that you ask for. Something About Wheels. The Vermont Chronicle relates the following incident about a sermon which might prob ably be repeated with profit: “A brother in the ministry took occasion to preach on the passage in Luke xvi. 10—‘ He that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. ’ The theme was, that men who take advantage of others in small things, have the very element of character to wrong the community and Individuals in great things, where the pros pect of escaping detention or censure is as little to be dreaded. The preacher exposed the various ways by which people wroug others; such as borrowing.; by mistakes in making change; by errors in accounts; by escaping taxi's and custom-house duties; by managing to escape postage; by finding ar ticles and never seeking owners; and by in juring u tides borrowed, and never making tlia fact known to the owner w T hen “ One lady the next day met her pastor, and said, ‘I have been up to Mr. ’s, to rectify an error he made in giving me change a few weeks ago, for I felt bitterly your re proof yesterday.’ Another individual went to Boston to pay for an article not in her bill, which she noticed was not charged when she paid it. “A man, going home from meeting, said to his companion, ‘ I do not believe there was a man in the meeting-house to-day, who did not feel condemned.’ “After applying the sermon to a score or more of his acquaintances, ho continued: ‘ Did not the pastor utter something about finding a pair of wheels?' “‘I believe not, neighbor A. He spoke of keeping little thiugs which hail been found. ’ “ * Well, I thought he said something about finding a pair of wheels, and supposed he meant me. 1 found a pair down in my lot a while ago.’ “‘Do you,’ said his companion, ‘know whom they belong to? Mr. B. lost them a short time ago,’ The owner was soon in possession of his wheels.” Solomon's Model Woman. BY MRS. M. E. WILLARD. “ Times have changed,” says one in glancing over “ The New Testament Woman,'' iu the Observer ,of January 20th. They were the ante-macliinery women who were forced to weave their wool and flax, grind their corn in a hand-mill, and “work willingly with their hands,” to assist in sustaining their families. If Solomon's model woman, de scribed in Proverbs 31, were now living, slie would be obliged to change lier ways in or der to win the esteem which lias always been awarded her. If she should rise “ while it is yet night—to give meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens,” she would find her daughters perhaps sleeping soundly after a late party, and none of her household inclined to “ rise up and call her blessed,” for disturbing them at such an early hour. Her spindle and distaff have passed away, and with them the need for that extreme in dustry that made it necessary that “ her can dle go not out by night ” Steam brings her goods from afar, instead of the slow ‘ ‘mer chant ships.” Machinery weaves the fabric and performs the sewing. Her clothes con tinue to be “silk and purple,” and her “coverings of tapestry.” She is “not afraid of the snow, for her household are clothed in scarlet,” but alas! her “loins are not girded with strength,” or “her arms strengthened,” or her morning sleep disturbed by “ looking to the ways of hor household,” and “the bread of idleness” lias ceased to be a disgrace. No wonder the Bible wemen were bid to be “ keepers at home, ” when each hour was filled with homely duties. The modern woman cannot be guided by this antique model. This is anew dispensation. The former things have passed away, and women must sit with folded hands, or find now priv ileges, new spheres of labor. So says one who would excuse our turning to the platform, the polls or journalism, to find spheres for onr unused energies. No one can deny that ‘'times have, changed,” and God has given to the Christian woman of 1870 a degree of leisure and freedom from care and toil that seems almost miraoulous. No woman truly professing godliness, con sumes this leisure in adorning her person anil displaying her adornings in senseless visits and idle promenades, late parties and otlior follies. Or, if she be of another turn, in attending “ woman's rights” assemblages, where too often it may be said “ they fear not God, or regard man” man out of whoso side she was taken to be his “help-meet,” “bone of bis bone, flesh of his fiesli.” To the Christian woman this subject is full of solemn interest. Sho knows that she will be called to account, for the use made of this great leisure, freedom from toil and care, that the invention of man lias given her. Solomon’s model woman would be as busy as ever were she here. There arc duties from which machinery and modern improve ments can never relieve us. We have a “ hell to slum and a heaven to obtain.” The modern husband lias a heart which must “ safely trust in his wife.,” so that he hath no need of the spoil of ruthless specu lation, gambling or overwork, to meet the expenses of an idle, extravagant household. She must “do him good and not evil, all the days of her life,” so that his domestic peace bn safe from invasion of any kind. The poor and needy yet need her “hands stretched forth,” for our Saviour said, “Tlio poor ye have always with you. ’ ’ ‘ ‘Strength and honor” should still be “her clothing,” and “wis dom ” and the “law of kindness’’govern her speech. There never was more work for the* heart and brain of the Christian woman than now. The machinery that has imparted her ease and leisure, has also put obscene publica tions and debasing illustrated papers in the hands of her boys. It has made books plenty and cheap, so that there never was such need of a faithful supervision on the part of an intelligent, pious mother, over the reading of her boys nnd girls. Popular education has quickened the intelligence of the young so that a youth undertakes enterprises at twenty-one, from which his grandfather would liavo shrank at thirty. Tho means of fatal dissipation grow attractive, cheap and easy; so that to guide a son through the mazes of temptation and danger, to a noble, Christian manhood, is a life-work of which any mother may be proud, and which leaves no energy unused. The mother’s planting time grows short. Instead of clamoring for the vote, the plat form and public oilice, lot her train and fas ten each tender tendril of the young vines that look to her for support, so that her daughters may bless their generation when she has passed to her reward. Let her be como familiar with the events of the day, and fit herself to influence her husband and sons to make such laws as purify society, and fit the earth for the reign of Christ.— N. Y. Observer. The Ss>irit’s Work in the Saints. Rev. E. H. Bickersteth, in his work, “The Spirit of Life,” thus speaks of the work of the Holy Spirit in renewing the body, mind and spirit of the saiut : Now seeing tlio way is opened by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, be assured he will quicken your mortal bodies in the last day by the same indwelling Spirit. And then will tlio body no longer be, as it now too often proves, a weight, a weary weight on the elastic soul within, but rather as eagle-wings, to bear us upward into the everlasting sunlight of the love of God. And as with the body, so with the mind; onr mental and intellectual powers will then be perfect. And as with the body and the mind, so likewise with the then perfectly sanctified spirit. We shall be holy for lie is holy. God hath chosen us iu Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love ; that good pleasure of his goodness will then be fulfilled. He “is able to present us fault less before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy;” and lie will accomplish that which bis love designs. Os the hundred and forty and four thousand on Mount Zion, we read : “They are without fault before the throne of God.” “Beloved,” writes St. John, “now are we the sons of God, and it hath not yet appeared what wo shall be ; but we know that when he shall appear (our manifestation being syn chronous with his, c. f. Col. Hi; 4) we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” Not only will our body be fashioned like unto the body of his glory, and our mind as clear as light, but then will onr spirit shrink in, to the utmost limit of the capacity of each, the beams of his eternal love. For then will the prayer of our great High Priest be fulfilled: “Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, and that they may be hold my glory;” and his promise (of which we may safely say, heaven has nothing higher,) be {accomplished: “I will unto them thy name, that the love where with thou hast loved me may be in them.” We shall see his fnce, and his name shall be in our foreheads. Now all this personal perfection of the glorified saints will be the triumphant issue of the Holy Spirit’s work upon them and with them. Whatever spiritual faculties and graces they now possess, are “tho first fruits of the Spirit,” and the first-fruits are only the pledge of the golden harvest and of the overflowing vintage. The seal where with now they are sealed is “the earnest (something given in pledge) of the Spirit in their hearts:” the fruition of tho inheri tance of which it is an earnest, is yet to come. They are here sowing to tlio Spirit —often weeping as they go forth, and bear the precious seed—and they shall hereafter, not independently of, or apart from the Spirit, but they snail of the Spirit, reap life everlasting. Every precious graco which he has planted, and cultivated, and cher ished, in this wintry world, shall bud, and blossom, and bring forth fruit in that better land of everlasting summer. Thero the flesh will never lust against the Spirit; nor will the Spirit there need to make interces sion for ns with groanings which cannot be uttered. For there man’s complex being will bo one melodious harmony again, and every saint will boa perfectly purified tem ple of the Holy Ghost. Sage Counsel. A minister, somewhat in years, a while ago sent the following quaint epistlo to a younger brother in the ministry. It may be good for othe,rs : Dear Brother I sometimes write to young men because they are strong. Re member— 1. That human happiness, like Hebrew verbs, have no present tense. 2. That human friendship, like glass, is easily broken; not easily mended. 3. When you know wlmt to do, never do you know not wlmt. 4. Never covet high places, where ’tis dif ficult to stand and dangerous to fall. We never find the Saviour on the pinnacle of the temple but once. What company had he there ? 5. Be no respecter of great personages ns such. Remember the figure 9, though the highest number, owes its consequence not to its head, hut to its curved appendage. Without that it would be 0. 6'. Desire no rapid growth. When the clock has struck 12, it does not strike 13 next. The full moon grows no larger. 7. Be not over hasty to combat public opinion without pressing reason. He that spits against the wind, spits in his own face. 8. Never scare off ally with a club when a feather will do as well, and remember that you can take more flies with a gill of mo lasses than with a gallon of vinegar. 9. Avoid debt He that pays down, will not be called to pay up. 10. Ministers must not only cat their bread by the sweat of their brow, but by the sweat of their brains. 11. Let not your sermons be like a ser pent, smallest at the last end, hut rather like a scorpion, whose sting is in its tail. 12. Have special cave of those members who were born in a storm, as they are prone to want, a storm to live in. 13. Never forget that a minister’s work is to break hard hearts, and to mend broken ones. 14. I began with a verb; I will conclude with a case. May you never bo found in the accusative and never come out in the vocative. Good Deeds Have no SaHHath. Not long since, says a Breslau paper, an elderly man, with bare head, stood in an eating house, surrounded by a crowd of people. The landlord held the man’s hat and cane, and an impudent waiter stood between the guest and the door. The confu sion of the old man was indescribable. He seemed to be for the first time in his life iu such a scrape—said nothing, looked down on the ground, and with difficulty restrained his tears, while all around mocked and joerod him. Just then a poorly-dressed Israelite, with a long white beard, entered, and in quired what it all meant, and with an ex pression of almost feminine curiosity. He was told that the man had eaten and drank, and now that he must pay, he searched his pockets in vain for money. “Well,” ex claimed the Israelite, “I see tho old man for the first time, but I’ll be bound that he did not come here to cheat. And, landlord, suppose he had no money to forget, couldn’t you for once give a poor man something to eat, for God’s sake ? How much does he owe any how ?’’ The ‘debt was eight silver grosclien, and the Israelite, paying this, took the poor old man by the band and led him to tne door. Those present did not seem to enjoy the re proof which their brutality had reoeived, and one insclent fellow cried out: “Hoy, Jew, what have you done ? This is the Sabbath, and you have touched money !” (This is forbidden to the Israel ites ;) “Just now I forgot that I was a Jew, just as you forgot that you were a Christian. But you may rest easy ou my account, I understand my eommundment, which says: ‘Kemembcr the Sabbath day to keep it holy. ’ Just got some school-master to explain it to yon, and if he is a reasonable man ho will agree with me, “Good deeds liavo no Sab bath.” And with these words the good man left the room. The Buried Grain. We are too often discouraged if ripened fruit does not follow immediately upon our seed sowing, and wo are tempted to think that our labor has all been lost. But not so does the husbandman work. “He wait eth for the precious fruit, and hath long pa tience, until ho receive the early and latter rain.” I have seen a little plot of waving wheat, which grew originally from seed taken from the cerements of a mummy, where it had been buried some thousands of years. If God so cared for these little grain germs as to keep them alive through all these centu ries, will he suffer his still more precious word to be lost ? “It shall not return unto me void. It shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” An old man, not a Christian, sat down in his field one day to rest; and, as is the cus tom with the aged, his mind wandered back to earlier days. Among the many scenes which passed' in review before him, was one in which he sat as a worshipper in the par ish church of his old home across the sea. He was but a lad then, but he could never forget the solemn discourse which the good Flavel had preached that day, from the text: “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema, maranatha.” As he raised his hands in conclusion, to pro nounce the benediction, he said, with much feeling: “How can I bless this whole as sembly, when every one that loveth not the Lord Jesus Christ is anathema, maranatha!” So solemn and affecting was the appeal, that a gentlemnn of rank was overpov.ereil by his emotions, and fell senseless to the floor. It was eighty-five years since those words were spoken, and here was an old man of a hundred years meditating upon them, thousands of miles away from tlio scene. “I have never loved tiie Lord Jesus,” he mused; “and what must be my futuro lot ?” In the deepest distress, he cried unto tho Lord, whose willing ear was open even to one who had sinned against him for a hun dred years. The seed sown so long before, sprang up at last, and bore rich fruit for sixteen years, when it was gathered in tho heavenly garner.— Sunday School Times. Ttic East Prayer Meeting. “And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.” Rev. vi. 16. Some prayer-meetings are dull, others are animated. This one requires a stronger term; it will be dreadful. 1. Consider tbe occasion. It will be held on the judgment-day. When the Judge is descending—the trumpet sounding—when the righteous are being separated from the wicked—when tho Judge is saying to those on the left hand, “de part,” and they are filled with indescribable terror; just at this time the pray er-rneeting will be held. 2. This prayer-meeting will be well at tended. Some prayer-meetings nro not well at tended. Many persons are careless iu refer ence to these social exercises of religion. But a great multitude that no man can num ber will attend the last prayer-meeting. Sinners of all ages, nations, nnd classes, will be there. The moral and amiable, as well as the openly vicious, and also Church mem bers will bo in that accursed throng. 3. There will be no want of emotion in that prayer-meeting. Some people are very much annoyed with religious emotion here, but all will be excit ed there. Some prayer-meetings are cold and for mal, but there will be no formality there. Think of the circumstances—their future prospects. Think of their prayers. It is a shriek of E. H. MYERS, D. D., EDITOR WHOLE NUMBER 1797. God. This shows that they have no hope of mercy. It is the death-knell of hope. The agony is the realization of tho fact, that “the harvest is past, nnd the Summer is ended, nnd they are not saved.” They pray to be crushed out of existenec. O ! what emotions ! 4. The prayer is not answered. The high mountains afirl rugged rocks stand motion less and sullen in their silence. There can be no annihilation there. Tho heavens roll tegether as a scroll—the earth is wrapped in a winding-sheet of flame—tho mountains and rocks are melting in the fervent heat of that awful day. Hell opens its month. Tho praying multitudes must, descend into tho land of darkness. O ! what a scene ! “ Depart, lost soul, thy tears to weep, Thy never-dying tears; To sigh the never dying sigh. To send up the nnneedeu cry Into the unresponding sky, Whose silence mocks tliy fears.” Such is the conclusion of the prayer-meet ing. No hymns of praise—no thanksgiv ing—no benediction. Just one shriek shall ring out to the mountains and rocks, and the despairing multitude shall sink into eternity’s night. Sinner, thou liailst better do thy praying now than to join that wretched praying band on that dreadful day.— M. 11. Journal. Jesus is Kiug. The exaltation of Christ is a source of joy to the believer, just as the humiliation of the Son of God is the foundation of his hope. What a wondrous transition is that which Paul traces from the height of excellent glo ry which pertains to our Lord as the Eter nal Word, who was God, down to the sorrows of that mysterious agony on Calvary. When the victory has been achieved, and tho sal vation ot his people is secured, and Christ, who was slain is risen from the dead, tho apostle bids us look again to tho right hand of God, to which Jesus is exalted as tho Goil-man, wearing our nature, united indis solubly to his divino person, and faith rejoi ces in tho assurance that Jesus is King. That regal power which belongs to him, he exercises as the Saviour of his peoplo. Ho is exalted a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and remission of sins, and he who thus reigns is oar kinsman, bone of our bone, flesh of our flesh—our Redeemer. What a joy to be sure that there is not a sorrow which we know, nor a pnng we feel, that fails to touch his heart! Though he is the King of kings, exalted far above all principalities and powers in heavenly plaoes, ho is none the less full of pity for his suffer ing people, and gives them succor and strength aocording to their day. To ask him to counsel and to help is better far than to lean upon the wisdom of the wisest of the sons of men. Wondrous are the deal ings of his grace. That which his servants do for him, he uses as the discipline of his cross. When they are most active, he chas tens them; but then the very sickness or sorrow which he sends is simply the draw ing of his love. He sees that in their earn est working in his vineyard, they are forget ting him, or that, in their constant ones and toils they are thinking more of self than of his honor, and suddenly their strength is weakened in the way, and they are brought down to the bars of the grave, or tho heart is broken by bereavement, and they are loft desolate—all that they may remember, is that Jesus is King. That which is true in the history of every believer, is true of the Church collectively. Tho enomies of Christ's kingdom are ever seeking to lay waste the Church of God, but he says: “I the Lord do keep it.” And tlio preservation of his people, even to this hour, is proof that hls promise abides for ever true. The darkest days are the period when ho appears to help his people; so that Matthew Henry’s saying, “Man’s extremity is God's opportunity,” has passed into a proverb. How much wo lose of the pence and joy of faith by forgetting that the first lesson of Christian duty is to lay every caro at the foot of the cross, and to look for every blessing, and for all needed deliver ance and strength to the throne of our glo rious King, we shall never know until the day dawn3 upon us iu that other world, where all sorrow and pain and crying are unknown, because sin cannot trouble, and “Death, who keeps the door, can never en ter there.”— Christian Intelligencer. Beautiful Wobls.—Florence Nightin gale, who is a groat invalid, writes a letter to Lemuel Moss, in this country, who sent, to her for her likeness and some account, of her life. In tho conrse of her letter she says: “Nothing, with tho approval of my own judgment, has boen made public, or I would send it. I have a strong objection to sending my own likeness,for the same reason. Some of tho most valuable works tho world has ever seen wo know not who is the author of ; wo only know that God is the author of all. Ido not urge this example upon others, but it is a deep-seated religious scruple in myself. Ido not wish my name to remain, nor my likeness. That God alone should bo remembered. I wish. If I could really give the lessons of my life to my country-women and yours, (indeed, I fain look upon us as all one nation) —tho lessons of my mistakes as well as of the rest—l would; but for this there is no time. I would only say, work— work iu silence at first, in silenoe for years— it will not be time wasted. Perhaps in all your life it will be the time you will after ward find to have been best spent; nnd it is very certain that without it you will be no worker. You will not produce one ‘ perfect work,' but only a botoli in the service of God.” Sweet Answer.—A little boy and girl,each probably five years old, were by tlio road side. As we came up, the boy became angry at something and struck his playmate a sharp blow on the cheek, whereupon she sat down and began to cry most piteously. The boy stood looking on sullenly for a minute, and then said: “Ididn’tmeautohurtyou, Kat.y; lam sorry.” The little rosy face brightened instantly. The sobs were hushed, and she said; “Well, if you are sorry, it don't hurt me.” Once when Father Taylor, preaching to his audience of seamen, found himself en tangled suddenly in a thicket of accumulated causes, he extricated himself by the excla mation, “I have lost the traok of the nom inative case; but my brethren, one thing I know— -lam bound for the kingdom of heaven. ” The chief secret of comfort lies in not suf fering trifles to vex one, and in prudently cultivating an undergrowth of small pleas ures, since very few great ones are let on long leases. Our trying to love an object is like onr trying to laugh when we are not pleased: the more we try, the less shall wo succeed. The trying part of the process implies it is a thing we do not prefer. Salvation is a well—a deep well of living waters. It is inexhaustible, and its stream ever flows on. Come, ye dying millions, and drink, that you may never thirst again. Keep paco with the march of time in tho improvement of thy heart. To fall behind is to fall into perdition. He that overcometh shall inheritall things, and I will be his God and he shall be my son. Bless the Lord, Omy soul! and all that is within me bless his holy name ! Glory be to God! God sits upon his mercy-seat, nnd will pardon and save all who approach him aright. To have a good opinion of yourself,think, if you were rich, how much you would givo away. Whatever is of nature’s spinning must be all unravelled before Christ’s righteousness can be put on. The Christian’s privilege is the prayer of the apostle: “That ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” Take heed of every sin ; count no sin small; and obey every command with j our might. Those who would go to heaven when they die must begin their lioaven while they live. 4 Said I not unto thee, that if thou would’st believe thou should’st see.tlie glory of God ? Religion is not an ait, a matter of dex terity and skill, but anew nature.